Fleshing machines for removing residual matter from the flesh side of animal skins and hides (referred to herein as de-fleshing) are well known. Commonly hides are de-fleshed in the machines in two stages, approximately half the hide being de-fleshed in each stage; for example, the hide may be introduced tail-end foremost for half of its length, the tail-end half of the hide being de-fleshed as the hide is then withdrawn from the machine, and the other half of the hide next introduced into the machine neck-end foremost for de-fleshing of the neck-end half of the hide. The manipulation of wet hides of large animals is, however, heavy and messy work, and accordingly the turning round of the hides between the two stages of de-fleshing, for introduction of the second half of the hide into the machine, is laborious and unpleasant for the operator.
To reduce the work of the operator it has been proposed to provide two machines and a conveyor which automatically feeds a hide from one machine, in which half the hide has been de-fleshed, into the other machine in which the other half of the hide is then de-fleshed, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,157. However, not only is this arrangement fully automatic in operation, which precludes the ability to attend to the hide on passage from one machine to another, but also it is of somewhat complex construction.